


Wednesday Afternoon

by ArsonEmbre



Series: Senior Year [6]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Heartbreak, I promise I love Hayner I'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23618731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArsonEmbre/pseuds/ArsonEmbre
Summary: Hayner and Olette talk about the note.
Relationships: Eventual Hayner/Roxas, Onesided Hayner/Olette
Series: Senior Year [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1484090
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Wednesday Afternoon

**Author's Note:**

> Mar if you're reading this remember that I care you don't kill me

Sitting here waiting for her to show up is nerve wracking. His leg is bouncing like mad, he’s chewing on what’s left of his thumb nail, and his heart is pounding so hard against his chest walls that it’s become a little difficult to breathe, but his hopes are high. If Pence were there with him, he would have told him to think of the worst and best case scenario, compare the outcomes, and choose the one that felt more realistic. The best case scenario was the one he wanted: for Olette to return his feelings and give him the chance. If he could just have one date with her, and then it turned out that they didn't click, he would still be happy knowing what it felt like to be a little more than friends for just one evening. Worst case scenario: Olette immediately shot him down and ended their friendship because he’d made things too awkward between them and she couldn't handle that.

Somehow, he felt like both of those outcomes were unrealistic.

His phone vibrates on the couch cushion beside him, and he quickly scoops it up to check if it's a message from Olette.

_ Roxy Boy: You can do this!!!! I believe in you dude!!! You’re the coolest and funniest guy I know. There’s no way that she’ll say no! (But if she says no I have ice cream and snacks at the ready) _

Hayner smiles at the message, holding the phone close as he rereads the words over and over again. He might never understand how or why Roxas continues to be the most supportive person he knows, but he’s thankful to have him as a friend. The part of him that always gets scared that his friends will realize how much of a shit person he is and leave him flared back up after Pence left. He’s terrified that Olette and Roxas will leave too. But if one of them had to leave, and he could only choose one friend to keep….he would choose Roxas. He would always choose that little asshole. He didn't  _ want  _ Olette to leave. She was amazing too, and he liked to think that they had a friendship that would last until they were old and gray. But Hayner knew himself well. He could heal if she left. Roxas, on the other hand, would forever be an open wound.

His smile fades as he shuts his screen off and drops his head into his hands with a groan.  _ Stop this. You’re never gonna have to choose. You’re just making shit harder for yourself. _

The sound of the tarp moving catches his attention, and he lifts his head to see who’s coming in. It’s Olette, of course. She looks so tired already. In her left hand is a folded sheet of notebook paper that he assumes is the note he’d written; no book bag, no binders, no planners,  _ no  _ supplies. She must have gone home to drop off all of her stuff before coming here. Olette crosses the room and sits on the couch beside him. She doesn't look angry, but there’s definitely no smile on her face. He grows worried as he sits his phone aside and turns to face her. “I’m really sorry I kept you waiting so long,” Olette explains, folding her legs neatly in front of her. “I didn’t get to read it until I got halfway home and then I got a call about homecoming right as I walked in the door and  _ that  _ was a big old mess that took way too long to solve, then I had to read it again to really let it sink in so I could—”

“It’s okay,” Hayner laughed at her rambling. Olette usually did that when she was nervous. If she was nervous, he could be too. “You’re good. It’s not like you kept me waiting until night. Don't sweat it.”

Olette released a breath. “Okay, good. I didn't want you to think that I was avoiding you because I really do want to talk to you about this.” She gestures toward him with the note.

He’s smiling again. It’s the same smile he had the day he realized his feelings for her. The hope in his heart grows as he looks down at the note, then back up at her. “I’m listening. Say whatever you have to say. I promise I won't interrupt.”

The brunette nods gently as she brings the note in front of her, carefully unfolding it with her thumbs. Hayner watches her pretty green eyes glide over the words with a soft smile on her face. His breath catches in his throat and his heart begins to flutter in his chest. When she finishes, she looks up at him, and he forces himself to breathe again. “This is really sweet, Hayner. When I read this earlier, I think I was confused because I couldn't really understand it? I didn't, like...to me, it never really seemed like you felt that way about me. I thought I would have recognized if you felt differently about me than you did Pence or Roxas. But looking back, I can think of a few times where it was kinda obvious but it still slipped right over my head,” she laughs. It makes Hayner laugh too. It’s good to know that someone as smart as Olette can be a little oblivious too. He can finally stop thinking that she sometimes avoided him because she suspected something was up.

“And I thought I was good at hiding stuff. Rox still seemed surprised when I told him.”

Olette’s eyes widen. “Roxas knew?”

Hayner rolls his eyes playfully. “Of course Roxas knew. I tell him pretty much everything. He’s been bullying me about it since I made the resolution—uh…” He could have died on the spot. It’s still unclear whether or not Olette knew she was his resolution for the year, but he didn't want to say that in front of her.  _ Why can’t I shut up sometimes?! _

“You...made  _ me _ your resolution?” she asks. Her voice is so soft that it hurts his heart. The suspense is very nearly killing him. The only reason he’s able to keep it together is because she doesn't look disgusted.

“Y-Yeah,” he mutters, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. His skin is hot to the touch, but he can still feel the awkward prickling as it turns to gooseflesh. “That's not weird or creepy or anything, right? I was just really excited about asking you. I just…” He lowers his gaze to the couch cushion. For some reason, he feels like he can't look at her anymore. “I really like you, Olette. Making you my resolution was a way to force myself to stop being a scaredy cat and ask you. I meant every word I said in that note. And I always will.”

In his peripheral vision, Hayner sees Olette sit the note down. His heart is drumming in his ears, and he feels a bit faint, but he won't back down. If he can face Seifer in a Struggle fight multiple times, he can do this. His feelings are already out there. All he needs to do now is listen.

Olette inhales audibly and lets it out slowly. “I am... _ so  _ flattered, Hayner. I really am. And proud of you too. I know it’s taking a lot of courage for you to sit here and do this face to face and that's not something to be taken lightly. These feelings are scary. I’m not sure I could do this if I were in your place. I’d probably just force it all down and then drown myself in stuff to do so I didn't have to think about it.” Yes, she would do that. He has watched her do that with so many other smaller things. Why would romantic feelings be any different? “And you deserve total honesty in return. I don't feel the same way, Hayner. I mean, I’ve only ever seen you as my goofy older brother.”

Hayner’s heart sinks to his stomach as his jaw drops. Now he  _ really  _ can't look at her. All of the anxiety and nervous energy he felt up until this point leaves him all at once. Now he feels cold. Empty.  _ Stupid _ . He should have known that Olette would never feel that way about him. He wasn't smart enough. He could never meet her standards in this life or the next. She would only ever see him as an idiot.

“O-Oh…”

“Oh no, that came out so wrong, Hayner, I’m sorry.”

He shook his head slowly, still feeling dazed. “No...it was the truth. I want you to be honest with me no matter how much it hurts. Because...you know,” he shrugs, “I’ll get over it. Ya gotta, like, rip the bandaid off sometimes. It hurts in the moment, but it goes away eventually.” Hayner takes a deep breath. Despite it feeling like his heart had shattered and the shards were digging into his chest, despite his diaphragm struggling to expand, despite the terrible stinging in his eyes, he gathers the very last of his strength and uses it to meet her eye, smiling as brightly as ever. “No worries! As long as we can still be friends.”

Olette’s expression looks a little brighter as she nods eagerly. “Of course! Hayner, you’re my best friend. I’m not going anywhere.” She unfolds her legs and crawls over to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He returns her hug, letting his eyes close as he tries not to think about what could have been. When Olette pulls away, she presses a gentle kiss to his cheek. The urge to cry almost overwhelms him. That was a little too cruel.

She holds him by the shoulders at arm’s length. “We’re good?”

He pulls his classic lopsided grin. “We’re good.”

“You mean it?”

“I swear it.”

Her shoulders sink in relief. “Okay. I have to get back home, but I’m really glad we had this talk. Thank you for telling me.”

Hayner shrugs one shoulder. “Thanks for listening.”

Olette stands to leave, and he lets her. He doesn't miss the fact that she left the note sitting on the couch in front of him. Frowning, he picks the note up and holds it with both hands. As much as he wants to open it up and read it to see if he had said the wrong thing, said too much, or said too little, he can't. Hayner decides in this moment that, for the sake of their friendship, he has to let go. He turns toward the entrance and slowly rips the note in half, letting it fall to the ground. The tears he had been holding back finally spilled over his lids. He shuts his eyes and brings his legs up onto the couch as he lies down. It hurts more than he imagined it would, but at least he’s still breathing. Even if it’s in shallow, panicked breaths.

The concept of time escapes him as he stares at the entrance for who knows how long, letting the tears fall without care. All he knew was that his phone vibrated six times and two of them were calls. He didn't want to answer his phone. He didn't want to talk to anyone. And if he heard Roxas say  _ I’m sorry  _ even once, he would break.

Some time later, the tarp moved again. Hayner’s vision was blurry, but he could see that the sun had set. The person who had entered didn't speak, and he couldn't see, but he immediately recognized Roxas’ scent. He hoped that it wasn't creepy that he could pinpoint another person’s smell almost immediately. It was just  _ really  _ strong, and good. Like this...weird mix of vanilla scented shampoo and Gain laundry detergent. He almost smiled. He couldn't think of a single time where he didn't smell nice.

Roxas doesn't say a word to him, but Hayner can hear him walking. He blinks, and Roxas takes a seat on the ground next to the couch. Hayner closes his eyes, hoping to god that Roxas doesn't tell him that he’s sorry.

“So um…” Roxas starts. “Is this Stickyman’s villain origin story?”

He really doesn't feel like it, but he can feel his mouth start to form a smile against his wishes. In that moment, his heart hurts a little less. The snickering starts with Hayner, and quickly spreads to Roxas. Hayner rolls onto his back and stares up at the ceiling, wiping his eyes with his wrist. “Shut the fuck  _ up, _ I’m grieving,” he laughs tiredly.

“I will never shut the fuck up. It’s my job as your sidekick to follow you around and annoy you forever,” Roxas tells him.

Hayner sighs, mouth falling back into a frown. Even still, he’s kind of happy to not be alone right now. He thought having Roxas there would hurt more...but maybe not. “Forever’s a long time.”

There’s a pause. “Yeah, I know.”

“You’ll get tired of me in the next year or so.”

“I’m already tired of your ass,” Roxas laughs. “But that doesn't mean anything. I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

Hayner’s heart squeezes a little tighter. It still hurts. However, he finds it a lot easier to believe when Roxas says it. He rolls his head over to look at the other blond, only to see that Roxas is already looking at him. And he can clearly see that Roxas means what he says. “Why’d you come here?”

Roxas shrugs. “You didn't answer my calls.”

“How’d you know I wasn’t busy or something?”

“You have never once been too busy to answer my phone calls.  _ Every single time _ I call you, you pick up. Like always.”

Hayner narrows his eyes. That wasn't true. “I’m sure I missed a few of your calls.”

“Not a single time, dude. I called you one time and you picked up and started talking to me so casually, and then thirty minutes in you go  _ oh I’m actually in the hospital right now. _ ”

He laughs as the memory immediately comes back to him. That was when he’d gotten a really bad stomach bug and his mom rushed him to the hospital because she thought it was appendicitis. Roxas was the only one that he’d wanted to talk to that day. “I remember that. Damn, I guess I do answer all of your calls, huh?”

Roxas nods, laughing just as hard. “You do. So when you didn't answer this time I just thought ‘man, what the hell is worse than being in the hospital’? Then I remembered and came straight here.” He leans his head against the couch. “You really scared me, Hay.” His voice is a lot softer, as are his eyes. Now Hayner feels awful.

“I’m sorry. Life just really fucking sucks right now,” he says, matching Roxas’ whisper.

“I know. I’m really sorry.”

Hayner very quickly reaches his limit. The tears return, and his bottom lip quivers. The first sob escapes despite all his efforts to keep it inside. It only leads to more. He squeezes his eyes shut to keep from seeing Roxas’ sad expression. Roxas gently lays his hand on top of his head, his thumb gently massaging his temple. He doesn't feel weak for crying in front of Roxas. He doesn't feel weak for crying at all. Somehow, without even saying a word, Roxas makes him feel strong. It hurts now, and it still will later, but he’s happy to let it out.


End file.
